HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm. IN THE PIPELINE 1,007 fresh COVID-19 cases, 23 deaths in last 24 hours: Health Ministry.

ON THE WIRE DEL81 BIZ-VIRUS-3RDLD RBI RBI eases bad loan rules, cuts reverse repo rate, freezes dividend payout by banks Mumbai: The RBI on Friday further eased bad-loan rules, froze dividend payment by lenders and pushed banks to lend more by cutting the reverse repo rate by 25 basis points, as it unveiled a second set of measures to support the economy hit hard by a coronavirus-led slowdown. DEL67 LOCKDOWN PM RBI PM says RBI measures will enhance liquidity New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the announcements made by the Reserve Bank of India will greatly enhance liquidity and improve credit supply.

DEL34 LOCKDOWN-EXEMPTIONS Fresh exemptions for lockdown period, construction allowed in rural areas New Delhi: The government on Friday gave exemptions to a few more areas from the purview of the ongoing lockdown including construction activities in rural areas, water supply, sanitation works and functioning of non-banking financial institutions and cooperative credit societies across India. DEL6 VIRUS-CASES Death toll due to COVID-19 touches 437; cases climb to 13,387 New Delhi: The death toll due to coronavirus rose to 437 and the number of cases to 13,387 in the country on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

NATION DEL109 BIZ-VIRUS-RBI-FM RBI measures to boost liquidity, incentivise banks to lend more to boost economy: FM New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the RBI has taken a slew of steps to maintain adequate liquidity in the system, incentivise bank credit flows, ease financial stress and enable normal functioning of markets, following difficulties being faced due to COVID-19. DEL86 VIRUS-RBI-SHAH Modi govt leaving no stone unturned to fight COVID-19: Amit Shah New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday the Narendra Modi government is leaving no stone unturned to tackle the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

DEL79 VIRUS-CONG-MAKEN Cong makes 10-point demand charter to Delhi govt, seeks help for those in distress due to COVID-19 New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said migrants and daily wagers should be incentivised as it put forth a 10-point demand charter before the Arvind Kejriwal government to help those in distress in the national capital due to COVID-19. DEL75 JK-KISHTWAR-ENCOUNTER Security forces surround attackers who killed SPO in Kishtwar Jammu: A gunbattle has broken out between security forces and the suspected terrorists who killed a special police officer and critically injured his colleague in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district early this week, officials said.

DEL65 BIZ-VIRUS-LD PARACETAMOL FORMULATIONS Govt lifts curbs on exports of medicines made from Paracetamol New Delhi: The government on Friday removed restrictions on exports of medicines made from Paracetamol amid the outbreak of COVID-19. DEL88 VIRUS-CAPFS-GUIDELINES Keep everyday record of contacts, avoid mass gathering at roll calls: Govt guides CAPFs on COVID-19 New Delhi: Paramilitary troops must keep an everyday record of their contacts and avoid mass gathering at roll calls and canteen, said a set of fresh guidelines issued by the government to protect the about 10 lakh personnel force from the COVID-19 pandemic. By Neelabh Srivastava DEL70 VIRUS-CORONA WARRIORS Stepping out for work each day, 'corona warriors' maintain isolation at home New Delhi: One stands on guard outside the high-rise building in Noida saluting perhaps as the other drives out to look after his patients – the two men, both tasked with fighting COVID-19 in their own special way, unable to even hug their children when they return home to strict isolation. By Uzmi Athar, Gunjan Sharma and Ananya Sengupta FOREIGN FGN33 VIRUS-2NDLD CHINA China revises coronavirus figures in epicentre Wuhan by 50%; national death toll jumps to 4,632 Beijing/Wuhan: China's coronavirus death toll mounted to 4,632 on Friday after it revised the fatality figures by 50 per cent in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, as Beijing faced mounting international criticism of under-reporting of the COVID-19 data. By K J M Varma FGN21 VIRUS-US-TRUMP-3RDLD ECONOMY Trump unveils guidelines to reopen America, lets governors to take call on lifting curbs in states Washington: US President Donald Trump has unveiled a three-phase plan to reopen the world's largest economy, jolted by the COVID-19 pandemic, that allows governors to gradually ease the crippling lockdown in their states. By Lalit K Jha.

FGN39 VIRUS-CHINA-LD COVERUP China denies coronavirus cover-up, accuses US of trying to divert public attention Beijing: China on Friday denied covering up the extent of its coronavirus outbreak and accused the US of attempting to divert the public attention by insinuating that the virus originated from a virology laboratory in Wuhan. By K J M Varma FGN24 VIRUS-LD-IMF-PAK COVID-19: IMF approves nearly $1.4 billion to Pakistan to meet balance of payment crisis Washington: The IMF has approved disbursement of USD 1.386 billion as a financial assistance to cash-strapped Pakistan to meet its urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. By Lalit K Jha..